Arch construction



y 2 4 L. DAVIDSON ARCH CONSTRUCTION Filed July 13, 1942 IN VEN TOR:

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UNITED 7 PATENT OFFICE V V Anon CONSTRUCTION I .Louis Davidson, Hewlett,-N.' Y. Amman July 13, 1942; .seiiai nafmasvo z'clai m'sf (01.20

i .Thisinvention relates to arch shaped construe-- tions for the'we'llknown usual purpose of beingsupported with their planes in verticalpo-'- siti'on and carryinga load, and it particularly relates to suchload carrying arches of building construction which are made of platelike elements of wood, metal'or other. appropriate material. l

= The main object of my invention is to provide novel methods and meansfor constructing arch shaped structures, particularly from plates,planks or strips of said materialsefficiently, expeditiously,comparatively inexpensively and without waste of material and labor.

' 'Another object of my invention is trussed structures in a simple andreliable manner embodying my novel arches, as a portion thereof.

Still further objects" of my invention will be" apparent as thespecification'of the same proceeds, and, among others, I- may mention:To provide structures, as characterized hereinbefore, whichmay useagreat'variety of materials and a great variety of appropriate securingmeans in an efiicient manner, which will 'be adapted for simple. archmembers, and also for building more complicated arch constructions forlarge 'spans and stresses and which-may be readily adapted and madeappropriate for 30 specific cases. I

' In the drawing, forming apart ofthis specification and accompanyingthe same:

Fig; 1 indicates the method-now used for making' arch shaped loadcarrying building construction members out of wooden planks, metalplates, andthelike,and

Fig". 1a. indicates the first'step in my novel I H Fig. 2 shows a platearch' member of the type indicated constructed acbordingto my invention;"Fig. 3 shows a load carrying plate 'archconstru'ction according to myinvention in a case where a stronger structure is require'clj Fig: 4 isa front elevational view of a multiple arch construction according to myinvention and usedfor wider spans;' l V v Fig. 5' indicates such alonger span arch built into a trussed structure;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view'ofthe construction of Fig. 2; a s

Fig. '7 is a similar section but showing added members;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevational view, the section being taken on theline 8'8 of Fig. 4, and i Fig; 9 indicates a section'of a two layer-archto build 23 'and 24." To

const 'uction. built according to my. invention and showing addedtransverse layers at the top. and bottom, similarly to Fig.7, to make myarch ofanLbeaLm cross section;

; .FigJ-ld is a cross sectional view of a modifica tion of theconstruction shown inFig. 3;

,Fig.',11 is a sectional view, the section being taken onthe line H--I lof Fig. 5; 1 .Fig. 12 is a, fragmentary detail showing a modified formon the construction in Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 isa sectional elevational view, the sec-. tionbeing taken on theline. 13-43 of Fig; 12. Figs.,,l.4 and 15 show further modifications.

Ashas'been mentioned hereinbefore, Fig. 1 indicates the. method nowusedfor forming plate like load carrying building arches f planks, metalplates, and the like. formedfrom a rectangular plate like, member,generallyindic ated by the numeral 2i), having a loweredge 2i and upperedge 22, and side edges made upperportion preferably touching the upperedge 22 at'the center 26. This cutwill remove thetwo' upper sideportions 21 and" and willr'nake the curved line 25a new upperj edge'fo'rthe plank 20 makingthe same of agenerally arch shaped member buthaving": the straight lower edge 2| If it is desired to; make a true'arch'sha'ped member of the plate or plank 20, a similar second curvedcut is madethrough' its'1ower""portion, as indicated in an'imaginarymanner by the dash and. dot line 29, which then i will be'made thelowe'rcurved edge or lower cord of the archmember'but a large lower portiorr30 of the plate or plank 20 will be cut away with an appreciable loss ofmaterial and labor.

fI tLwill be seen that,"aside of the diflicult, slow andcumbersomeo'perations, the parts 21 and 28,

:, and in the latter case also the portion 30, will be not be as wasted,andth remaining arch will strong "as the original plank.

As indic'ated'in Fig. 1a, I take the samefplank or plate 20 and cut acurved section line. 3|-

upper edge 22'and lower'ed ge 2|, thereby separating the sameinto twoelongated pieces or sec-- tions 20a and 20b," having the curved meetingor common edges 31a. and 3111. I now take the 'upper piece Mia, move itdownwardly and place its upperedge 22 to abutthe lower edge 2| of thelower piece 20b, as indicated in Fig. 2. The two pieces 20w and 2012'now will be secured together along theircommonedge 2|, 22, by anyapm'opriate means,*like gluing, welding, soldering, or;

rom wom n- The arch] is form an arch shaped member tromth e, plateorplank 20, the curved cut 25 is apart from both its been mentionedhereinbefore. I

to the curve of the arch at those points, as has 1 Next'to, and, to theright of,,the member 35 is placed a similar member 36, in the frontlayer of plank, plate, or the like, with one easy operationf and withoutany waste. Fig. 2 shows this simple basic structure of my novel arches,generally inj dicated byfthe numeral 32, its upper chord being at 3Iband lower chord-31a, and 'it1being obvious that in use asaload carryingbuilding-element, the arch member is set up edgewise in the way of 1Fig; 2 with its plane in a. vertical position, and it will be supportedin such a position;

In Fig. 3 Iindicate a form of my arch member adapted for cases wheregreater strengthpand ii' therefore greater depth is desired.v Inthiscase,

I insert between the upperand lower sectionsilld and b of an originalplank or plate, :a plank, .1

plate or strip 33, the upper edge 22 of the section 20:; abutting thelower edge 33aof the intermedialsobeingsecured thereto.

greater depth than the sim ple plate arch 3'2 depth obviously depends onthe width ofthe intwo orfmore such-' intermediate members may be used,-,each.'edgewise abutting the'one below it, to buildup anynecessary-widthor. depth in my arch essary-transverseor sideways reinforcements, orsuch reinforcements may beadded to my members such cases. I

In Fig-i- 4 I-show anarch structure built 'up-ofa a large span. I

3 The building simpl 'iseXecutedinsucha man-'- ner'that the-adjacent endedge zof each two mempluralityof'my basic individual'arch member for,

ate'pie'cefl33fand being/secured'thereto' byany appropriate means, ashas been indicated herein; before, and the lower edge 2l"o f the piece20b abutting theupper edge. 33b .of saidipiece 33 and.

"Ihe'resulting'plate archof'Figtt,generallyindicated by the numeral34,,is composed of the three pieces 2011, 201) an'd,3,3,' and a'much 1formedpftheoriginal pieces 20a and, 20b. This Y tennediate' member as;andit also is obvious that binations, as will he explained .presently,was; 1 parts of-trusses, and they so. ll'receive-the necby any ofthemethods usual and. well known in. .i

bers 'willgbe' made to follow the-radialsofthe arch: 3

curve to be: built; at thepoint'in question, and they, willrbe placed'to: abut andwill be secured to one another, as will bemore'fullyexplained pres 'ently when describing the structureshown byFig. 4. 'Sincei'n snch cases more; strength-is required in the body of,the arch,-'and also to better secure the individual members edgewise toone" another, several layers are used, and theFarchmembers in the,adjacent layers are staggeredPin'an overlapping manner;

1 --Referfing now to Fig. 4; v the same-shows a central fragmentaryportion of -a built up arch struc-v turezv constructed according tomyinvention and made of 'aplurality of individual basic arch mem bers'inthiscase arranged'in three layers. 1

The left hand-fullxfrontmember is-indicated 7 generally by thenumeral-35fhaving been built up of thezu'pper section 35a-and lower 35bsecured together on the straight 'line35'cand having'the curved"upper'edge 35d and lower edge 35a and the: twosideedges 35 and 35g,

the arch structure of Fig. '4, having the similar elements thereofmarked by the numerals 36a, 36b, v 36c, 36d, 36e, 36 its right hand endbeing broken away, as indicated'at 3651:. To the left of the members isarranged back of the first front layer, and closely adhering thereto, inFig. 4 one full member .38 and-broken all right hand and left handmembers 39 and. 40 of it being indicated, their parts being:appro'priately numbered to aid in recogniz ingthemp v i "Similarlyathird on: and backof. the isecond, or. middle layer, Fig. 4 showingonefullmemberfl Iv and parts of a right handmember dzand left. member 43thereofl: It ,will beunderstood that the abutting edges of the twopieces in each member, and" of the ad-= jac'ent members 'willibe securedto one another, as has been explainedhereinbefore, by anyapproprh atemeans. i i It is also obvious that the adjacent member'sin otheryas bygluing, riveting, bolting, .etc.

It will beseen that in this mannerl may build an .archstructureofindividual plate OIIStI'iP'likG members expeditiouslyfland r to answerva great range of requirements as t h p span; and strength'.-: r i

:Mydndividual arch members, as well up arch structures, may use anydesired and-suitable; materials; like wood; metals, even. plastic; etc.

In: Fig; 7 ,I 'illustratefan individual arch member 44;having'therweb'orarchq proper 45, .built be understood.

InrFig. i992. similar archam'ember is shown; but builtoftwostaggeredlayers 48 and 49 fora web and two bent strips 50 and 5|atthei-topand twov strips" 52 and 53" at: the bottom; for addedstrength. 1"

It also will be understood: that in the structure shown inwFig. 4,011 inany other of my archfstruce tures several j sections :for anindividualmember,

or several individual members maybe set abutting each other with theirlongitudinal edg,es,-to build up a greater width and greater strength intheiarchg in 'th'e; manner of'FigKB; and that obviously if; the archstructure is built-of several-layers as in 'Fig. f4,--then' not only theside edges may"be staggeredin-the individual layers but saidlongitudinaledges too, soas. to "provide an overlapping-' i of: the elements in theindividual layers, in, the

direction of 'thea depth or width of the arch also.

In Figs. 5 and 11 I ShOW'BrDOltiOll of a-truss into which isbuiltone "ofhiya-arches; The truss. generally is indicated by-the; character. it andmy arch-by the numeral:55', andzmy archin this 1 combination becomes acord offthe truss.

web members: 56 of the-truss arese'curedbetween 1 two layers 55a and 55bof the arch byrany ap-- f propriate' means; like bolts,- rivets;welding, gluing, etc.,and preferably at the meeting; of the in-' w'hicnre radial wd vidual members-in-the-layers; as at Hand 58:"

layer of such members is built The Appropriate devices well known in theart (not shown) may be placed between the spaced apart truss in whichtwo members 6| and 62 of my arch are set edgewise and the web members63are secured to the outside of the arch as indicated in the section ofFig. 13.

With reference to the modifications of my invention shown in Figs. 7 and9, I want to remark, that it is very hard to make an arch shapedstructure of an I cross section with the methods and means heretoforeavailable for such purpose. A steel I beam is hard to bend and aftersuch bending one section of it will be stressed-over the normal whilethe opposite region will be compressed. made by bending at all, as willbe obvious. My invention makes it possible to construct arch structuresof any metal, wood or other material and give it the I shape crosssection with simv ple and easy means.

The strength of such a, cross section also can be easily adjusted to therequirements of the case, if necessary several web layersmay beprovided, as indicated in the section of Fig. 8, and similarly the topand bottom transverse strips 50 to 53 in Fig. 9 may be increased.

I also want to remark that the curved section line 3m, 3: in Fig. 1aobviously may be placed anywhere between the two outer longitudinaledges 2| and 22, so that it may start from the corner or intersection ofthe left hand side edge 23, with the lower longitudinal edge 2| and endat the opposite corner formed by the right hand side edge 24 with theedge 2 l In Fig. 14 I indicate one other method of forming the basicindividual or single arch member of Fig. 2. In the modification of Fig.14:

Edges 2| and 22 are placed into overlapping Wood in such structurescannot be- Fig. 15 indicates a similar constructiton to that of Fig. 14,but applied to the combination arches of the type of Figs. 4 and 5. Inthe fragmentary showing of Fig. 15 two basic or single arch members ofmy invention are shown, designated; by the characters 10 and II,respectively, the side or transverse edges 10g and-Hf of which areplaced into overlapping relation, the two members having a portion,indicated by 10b, overlapping, whereupon the same may be secured in sucha position by any of the means mentioned hereinbefore, or by any othermanner, as parts of a construction.

In general, I want to remark that my arch constructions are intended asparts of larger structures, particularly roofs and concrete form work,and the various overlappingly, abuttingly, or otherwise set portionsthereof may be secured in such a position also by the balance of saidoutside structures, and not only by direct connections and the spacespossibly left between not co-planar sections thereof may either be leftvacant, or filled out, as necessary or convenient.

In the foregoing, I have illustrated and described preferred andsatisfactory embodiments and applications of my invention, but it is ob-.vious that changes may be made therein within the spirit-and scopethereof as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. An arch construction for buildings, comprising several verticallayers, each layer consisting of several elongated wooden boards, eachpiece composed of two sections of the same thick ness, each sectionhaving One straight and one curved longitudinal edge and each twosections being placed with their straight edges abutting, said piecesbeing placed in an end to end relation in a chain, andso forming asingle layer first,

arch, additional similar layers placed flat against said. first arch,secured to one another, with the ends of the pieces in the severallayers in staggered relation to form an arch of several layers with thetransverse and the abutting straight relation, as will be obvious,leaving a portion 200 r in each of the sections 20a 'and 20b overlappingeach other, whereupon the two sections may be secured in such position.

In this case, of course, the sections 20a and 201) will not be in thesame plane, however, in many cases of such constructions this isacceptable depending on thickness and kind of materials to be used, andthe method of Fig. 14 may be rri iore2 easy to apply than the oneindicated in edges being staggered with reference to the individuallayers. I

2. In an arch construction of claim 1, a flat member of the thickness ofthe respective layer interposed between the straight edges of each pairof sections, the straight edges of each pair of sections abutting therespective straight edges in the flat member therebetween.

LOUIS DAVIDSON.

